Score: No. 11 Hobart College 5 – Elmira College 3
Records: Hobart (5-1-1, 5-0-0 ECACW), Elmira (1-4-0, 1-4-0 ECACW)
Location: Murray Athletic Center Ice Arena – Pine Valley, NY
 
Pine Valley, NY -- The Elmira College men's ice hockey team returned to action on Friday evening when it welcomed No. 11 Hobart College for the first game of a weekend two-set at the Murray Athletic Center Ice Arena. The Statesmen scored twice in the final minute of the second period to break the game open and held off a late charge by the Soaring Eagles to secure a 5-3 victory.
 
Carter Shinkaruk '16 had a big game for Elmira, tallying two goals in the losing effort. Kenny Tencza '19 also had a memorable night for the Soaring Eagles, tallying his first career multi-point game, which included his collegiate goal to conclude the scoring on the evening.
 
Jeremy Marginsky '18, Brian Depp '16 and Jonathan Grassie '19 each tallied one assist apiece in the contest. Grassie's helper was his first collegiate point.
 
Sandro Aeschlimann '19 got the starting nod for the second time this season. The freshman netminder stopped 35 shots, but ended up falling to 1-2-0 on the season.
 
It was a tactical opening 10 minutes of play, as the two teams cautiously eased into the game. However, the action would pick up and go end-to-end over the back half of the period. Both teams would generate some quality looks at net, but only Hobart would be able to find the back of the net in the opening frame.
 
Forcing an attacking zone faceoff, with just under five minutes remaining in the period, Hobart's Sean Rudy won the draw clean to his line mate Trevor Poirier in the high slot. He wired a wrister top-shelf over the blocker of Aeschlimann to give the visitors the lead.
 
The Statesmen would double the advantage just over a minute into the second period. With the puck jumping on the ice in the defensive zone, Hobart's Nick Bingaman would get a blade to the puck to set it on a tee for teammate Jordan Haskell who sent a one-timer from between the circles past the Elmira goaltender.
 
The Soaring Eagles halve the deficit midway through the period. Just seconds after having just killed a big five-minute major and game-misconduct penalty to Noah Anderson '19, Elmira would strike quick on the counter. Grassie quick-upped the puck to Tencza who had just left the penalty box after serving Anderson's penalty. He pulled up at the left wing boards and sent a centering pass to Shinkaruk who was trailing the play. He loaded up a howitzer of a wrist-shot, which went bar-down past Hobart netminder Lino Chimienti with 10:19 left in the period.
 
The goal seemed to give the Purple and Gold life, as the squad created several strong scoring chances in an attempt to tally an equalizer. None were forthcoming, as Chimienti stood tall, allowing the Statesmen to snatch control of the game just before the second intermission.
 
With 56 seconds left in the period, Hobart's Andrew Silard forced a turnover in the left corner of the Elmira zone and whipped a backhander to Rudy who was all alone in front. He shuffled a soft backhander that found its way under Aeschlimann. Connor Simon would add a fourth for the Statesmen with just eight seconds left in the period, lasering a slap-shot through heavy traffic in front.
 
Hobart would continue to pounce on Elmira mistakes in the final period, as Brad Robbins tallied Hobart's final goal, after receiving an errant Elmira clearing pass in the high-slot.
 
The Soaring Eagles showed great character despite the lopsided score line, battling hard to the final horn. Their effort was finally rewarded, as EC tallied twice in the final two minutes. Shinkaruk added his second goal of the game, finishing beautiful cross-crease pass from Depp. Tencza would cap the scoring with 58 seconds left, backhanding in a loose puck from just inside the left circle.
 
Turning Point
Momentum was clearly on the side of Elmira after Shinkaruk's goal cut the Soaring Eagles' deficit to 2-1 with 10:19 remaining in the second period. EC generated no less than four strong scoring chances, with the best a two-on-one with Jarryd ten Vaanholt '16 and Depp with just under five minutes left in the period. Hobart's netminder held strong to maintain the Statesmen lead, which would widen considerably with the two-goal flurry late in the period.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Elmira outshot Hobart 45-to-40 in the contest.
• Depp would lead all players with seven shots. Shinkaruk would add six for the Soaring Eagles, while Hobart's Brad Robbins would also finish with six.
• Hobart slightly edged Elmira in faceoffs 41-to-38. Sean Rudy went 16-11 at the dot, while Shinkaruk led Elmira with 12 draw wins.
• Hobart's Lino Chimienti would finish with 42 saves for the Statesmen, while Aeschlimann would stop 35 for the Soaring Eagles.

 
News and Notes

• Shinkaruk joins Marginsky as the second Elmira player to post a multi-goal game this season.
• Shinkaruk has now scored a goal in four of Elmira's first five games this season, which includes a current three-game streak. He leads the Soaring Eagles with five goals on the year.
• With an assist, Depp stretched his point streak to five consecutive games to begin the season.
• Tencza registered his first collegiate goal in the contest, while Grassie collected his first collegiate point with an assist.
• Elmira's 1-4-0 start is the program's slowest start through five games since 2006-07, when the team also began the year 1-4-0.

 
Up Next
Elmira will be right back in action against Hobart tomorrow evening when the teams conclude the weekend set with a 7:00 p.m. puck drop at the Murray Athletic Center Ice Arena. The Elmira women will play the opening game of the doubleheader at the domes when they face Utica College at 3:00 p.m.